Wir Sind Sieben, Getragen von den Sunden
by xicedlovexoxo
Summary: We Are Seven, Born of the Sins. - "nay, for it was only the beginning – and Joey would soon find out." A deadly organization threatens our beloved gang - can they stop them in time? RATED FOR LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, AND MILD SEXUALITY. Whatever that means.
1. Der Erste Schlag

ALRIGHT! - announcing my return to fan fiction, beginning with this brand spanking new story. I call it Wir Sind Sieben, Getragen von den Sunden - We Are Seven, Born of the Sins. Anyway, I've been working on this since summer started, and hopefully it will be the first chaptered story I actually finish ;

Nao, I'd like to thank devotedtodreams for being my beta for this story - at least, what I have done so far. I hope you all enjoy this, my first serious endeavour into the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! fan fiction. !

(OI - as a side note, chapter titles in the dropdown menu shall be in German - the English translation will be at the beginning of each chapter.)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!, NOR ANYTHING ELSE WITHIN THIS STORY EXCEPT FOR THE PLOT. AND POSSIBLY A PENNY.

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**CHAPTER ONE - DER ERSTE SCHLAG; THE FIRST STRIKE.**

Joey didn't know whether to scream or cry as the sharp, relentlessly cold steel of a serrated-blade knife plunged between his shoulder blades, making its home nestled in his flesh. The distinct, coppery smell of blood was already in the air from various other wounds, both from him and his assailant, and now the pain that coursed through his body and flickered in his eyes was all that stopped him from turning and ending the battle in one fierce blow. The other man laughed coolly, obviously not remorseful of what he had just done.

"You will die a slow death, Joseph Wheeler, as all of your precious liquid flows to rest in the sewer. Just like your friends before you; soon, your sister too."

"NO! Serenity!" Joey wailed helplessly, falling to his hands and knees in a rare moment of complete weakness. His golden hair was mussed beyond recognition; there was so much blood you couldn't tell the true color anymore. He shuddered and gasped, hanging his head and staring at his hands, which were palm-down on the ground, barely supporting his weight as he trembled. With one swift movement his attacker was towering over him, and Joey's life flashed before his eyes. He figured it was all over; it was merely a matter of time.

"Goodbye, Joseph," the man snarled cruelly, ripping the knife from Joey's back and laughing as the blood poured like a waterfall down the teen's body. He took stock of his work, and, satisfied, smirked as he disappeared into the night.

"Serenity, I'm sorry…Yug', Tristan, Tea…I failed you all…" he whimpered and collapsed into a heap on the cold concrete, not caring that more and more blood poured down his back as he shook with sobs. The steady stream of crimson from his wounds kept him warm, yet as time passed he grew colder. Joey knew he was dying – a moment he wished would never have to come, and especially not like this – and he knew there was nothing he could do. Worst of all, he couldn't even save the people he loved.

"Joey!?" a familiar voice rang out, piercing the silence between Joey's soft, breathless cries. A tall, spiky-haired shadow darted to the mass of bloody flesh and bruises that was Joey, wounded and broken but nonetheless alive.

"Yug'…? B-but I thought you were…" Joey whispered faintly, struggling to force the sound from between his bruised lips.

"Shh…Joey, no, I'm not…I'll explain later…" the voice cooed into Joey's ear soothingly, as strong arms handled the weakened boy with great care, much as a child would a precious porcelain doll. "Just be silent; save your strength. You need all of it…to stay alive right now…at least until I can get you help." The soft voice reassured Joey, and he felt warmth within those arms that didn't come from his blood pouring about his body. It was a secure warmth that let him know this wasn't the end; nay, for it was only the beginning – and Joey would soon find out.

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WHEW! So, comments? I know this chapter is short - but when I wrote it I had no idea where the story was going to go. I just had this idea, and wrote it out. The next chapters get longer - trust me. Next one will be up shortly after this - to keep ya all satisfied and what. Thanks for reading!


	2. Enthullungen

Alright, chapter two time. Its a little longer, and bear with all the German and Latin and stuff. I'll explain at the end. Anyway, enjoy!!

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH! OR THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS/SEVEN HOLY VIRTUES. I OWN ONLY THE PLOT OF THIS STORY.

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**CHAPTER TWO - ENTHULLUNGEN; REVELATIONS.**

The steady beep of a hospital monitor was now the only assurance Yami had that Joey was still alive. His friend lay on a stark white hospital bed, battered and bloodied and all the worse for wear, but still very much among the living. Yami sighed, hoping that the blonde boy would wake up soon. He needed to know the reason behind the attack that had landed him here, and the sooner Yami could tell him, the better.

"Joey, please, wake up soon…" he whispered quietly, not actually meaning to disturb the boy, but more just to say it for his own sake.

"Where the hell am I…?" a hoarse, but soft whisper escaped Joey's lips shortly after, and he turned his head, opening his bruised eyes to get a glimpse of his surroundings. "Why am I in a…in a hospital…? Yug'…?" he managed to force out, coughing quietly. Yami had expected he'd still be weak when he awoke, but he had to keep him awake now.

"Joey. I'm not Yugi. You can just call me Yami…I'm the spirit from his Millennium Puzzle. I'll explain that later; right now I just want you to listen to me. I have a lot to tell you, and we don't have as much time," Yami scooted the chair next to Joey's bed a little closer, as he noticed the other straining slightly to hear. "The reason why you're here is because you were attacked by a man, who is known as Ira. He leads an organization called Sieben Tödliche Sünden. In other words, Seven Deadly Sins. Ira, along with 6 other people whom he plagued with one of each of the Seven Deadly Sins, have been sent out to kill you, Yugi, and your friends…" Yami paused, as Joey coughed, and he noticed the other's eyes widen with realization.

"B-but he said they were already dead, and Serenity was next…"

"No, Joey, I've already warned them. They're safe. I'm sure they'll be here soon."

"I sure hope so…Yami." Joey nodded, closing his deep eyes to hide the emotions that were swirling tumultuously around within them. Above all else, he now began to feel angry in the stead of his sorrow, and even though he was itching to burst out into a scream or run off to settle the score with this Ira guy, he held back as he knew he was just too weak right now. Yami, sensing Joey's mood, stayed silent for a moment before allowing himself to continue.

"Ira plans to use the Sieben Tödliche Sünden to take over the world; to keep the other six in check with him, he made a "promise" to help them control the sin within them. Ira, however, is known to have merely suppressed what is called the Sieben Heilige Vorzüge, or Seven Holy Virtues, in his control of himself and his servants. Ira's group consists of him, Ivy, Marquis, Maria, William, Sophia, and Trent. Each of these seven have a severe manifestation of one of the Seven Deadly Sins within them, but what they do not know is they each have the opposite one of the Seven Holy Virtues within them as well. This, I believe, is our only chance of defeating Ira and the Sieben Tödliche Sünden." Yami nodded as he finished, and was surprised to see Joey was now sitting up in bed, looking less tired and beat-up than he had just minutes ago. Yami shook his head in surprise at the boy's will.

"Yeah, so, what about these people? What's inside 'em?" he asked, tilting his head a little out of curiosity.

"Well, Ira is wrath. I know that Ira is not the man's real name; Ira means wrath in Latin. Patentia is patience, and to put it simpler, Ira is the man's dark side, while Patentia is his light. Just as I am Yugi's dark, and he is the light. In addition to Ira and wrath, there is Ivy, with Invidia or envy as her sin, and Humanitas or kindness as her virtue. Marquis is Superbia, pride, and Humilitas, humility. Sophia is Luxuria, lust, and Castitas, chastity. William is Gula, gluttony, and Temperantia, temperance. Maria is Avaritia—"

"Ooh! I know that one! Sounds like avarice, right?" Joey interrupted eagerly.

"Yes, avarice, or greed." Yami chuckled before continuing. "Maria also has Liberalitas, charity, as her virtue. Finally, Trent, who is Acedia and Industria, or sloth and diligence respectively."

"So, you're saying that these people were normal people until they met this guy, Ira, and he turned 'em into sinners? But he didn't do such a good job, did he? Cause they've still got these "holy virtues" things in 'em too."

"Yes, Joey, but thanks to that we may have a way to defeat them. Which, if I'm correct, is our only chance."

"I hope we can stop 'em, Yami. And I hope Yug' and the others get here soon…I hope they're okay…" Joey sighed, wishing his hospital room had a window, even though he knew if it did it would be of no use due to the pitch dark outside. He lay back down on his bed and closed his eyes. No matter how strong he thought he felt, he still wasn't as healthy as he had been. He'd lost enough blood to soak an army, and it seemed as though they'd had to use an army just to save him. Either way, he knew he was glad to be alive; and, deep down, he looked forward to the coming fight against the Sieben Tödliche Sünden.

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Alright, I hope everyone could follow that - most of the Latin/German was translated in-chapter, luckily. Hehe. Next chapter to follow shortly! Review, review, review! And keep reading!


	3. Eine Lust zu Toten

Chapter numba three - cause of the shortness of the chapters it goes up immediately after 1 and 2. I hope no one minds.

Alright, this is where things may start to get confusing.

**BOLD **text is the sin side speaking.

_ITALIC _text is the virtue side.

NORMAL text is the host body.

Hopefully, this isn't too hard to understand.

AS ALWAYS, I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH! OR ANYTHING RELATED TO IT. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING IN THIS CHAPTER AS A MATTER OF FACT EXCEPT FOR THE PLOT.

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**CHAPTER THREE - EINE LUST ZU TOTEN; A LUST TO KILL.**

Serenity Wheeler sat alone in the small apartment she shared with her brother. It was a recent development, but they'd both decided they'd had enough of being apart, and Serenity knew Joey just wanted to get away from their father more than anything. She sighed as she rose from the small, uncomfortable couch and carried herself into the kitchen. All the lights in the apartment were on, even though Serenity wished she could just turn them off and go to bed. Unfortunately, she knew that wouldn't be happening tonight. Just hours earlier, Yugi – no, it wasn't Yugi, she remembered, but the spirit from Yugi's puzzle – had stopped by to warn her of danger. Instantly worried about her brother, the spirit had promised her he'd find Joey and make sure he was safe. Even still, Serenity couldn't help but worry about him now. She was even worried about herself, which she rarely did.

"Oh, I hope he comes home soon," she said to herself, pouring a glass of tea and heading back to the couch. The minutes crawled by slowly as she looked at the clock, and she sighed. It was past midnight, and still, no word of Joey. Not even any word from the spirit who'd warned her. The sound of footsteps outside the door made her jump to attention, and despite her warnings, she ran to open the door, knocking the glass from the coffee table in her rush to stand. She didn't even notice it fall, for as soon as she was to the door, it swung open, revealing the last thing Serenity would have expected to see: a tall, blonde-haired woman whose wavy locks flowed to the middle of her back, dressed in all black with so much make-up you could paint the Sistine Chapel all over again with it. The woman towered over Serenity, but that wasn't what scared her. This woman held a knife, and that knife was quickly held to Serenity's throat.

"**Be quiet, and I'll make it quick**," she hissed, in a voice that could hardly be called unpleasant despite the sharp tone. The knife dug so sharp into Serenity's neck that already a trickle of blood seeped down, and it took all of her strength to not scream or cry out. The woman kicked the door shut behind her and dragged Serenity back inside.

"_Luxuria, let her go,_" a soft, velvety voice cooed, and even though it came from the same woman, she acted as though it hadn't.

"No! Get out of my head!" the woman screamed in response in yet another different voice, her grip on Serenity loosening, allowing Serenity to escape her grasp and back a safe distance away. The woman was now locked in a struggle within herself, but it was all voiced, and Serenity listened fearfully but intently.

"_Maria, listen to me, you can't do this. You know this isn't right._" The woman clutched at her head, still screaming.

"GO AWAY! Both of you! Just get out of my head!" She fell to her knees, head in her hands.

"**Castitas! You vile witch! Let go of her mind, it is mine!**" the first voice Serenity had heard was back, and the heat from the anger it contained was enough to make blood boil.

"_Sophia, you must listen to me. Let me take control. Let me rid you of Luxuria and let me end this cycle of sin._"

"Just stop the voices! No more voices! Make it stop!" the woman sobbed, clearly being torn apart by the madness in her head. Her fingers clawed at her hairline, and her eyes flashed with madness.

"**Castitas, you will not win this! You know I am stronger. This woman is mine. This **_**kill **_**is mine, witch; don't stop me from continuing what I have set out to do. You will pay the price.**" The woman screeched in agony, her fingers tangling in her blonde locks, desperately grabbing at the strands as if trying to grab hold of her slipping sanity. Her efforts weren't entirely in vain, for as she continued her desperate, anguished cries and struggle to regain control, the calm, sweet voice chimed in again.

"_Just relax, Sophia. Please, you will be okay. Those threats mean nothing. I can save you, if you will let me._"

"I don't care! Just make it STOP!" the woman shrieked, her voice almost out of the range audible to human ears.

"_Relax, Sophia. Be calm. You will not suffer any longer,_" the soft voice cooed, and a stiff silence engulfed the room. Sophia's eyes began to widen, and before she could scream, she collapsed to the floor, totally limp. In a matter of seconds though, she was back up, but the cold glare in her hazel eyes was now gone, and she looked around in bewilderment.

"What—?"

"_Sophia, you are safe now. Ira's control is broken. Luxuria of the Seven Sins is now gone from within you._"

"Who are you?"

"_I am Castitas, of the Seven Holy Virtues. I was created the day Ira brought forth Luxuria within you. I am destined to help you stop him._" Sophia nodded, as if completely understanding. Slowly, she turned to Serenity.

"I'm sorry." She said simply. Serenity blinked, and her voice came out very timid.

"It's fine. I was supposed to be expecting you…"

"I promise I will help stop Ira."

"Will you? My brother and his friends, they'll need all the help they can get." Serenity let a small smile show, at the mention of her brother, even though she still held so much worry that it might be too late for him.

"What is your name, girl?" Sophia asked softly.

"Serenity. Serenity Wheeler."

"I'm Sophia. Lead me to your friends. I will do as much as I can. Ira can't be allowed to continue…he put the voices in my head…the voices that made me do bad things…" She trailed off, and Serenity offered her hand. Sophia took it, standing slowly. A smile crept slowly onto her face, and Serenity let a wave of relief wash over her. Still, her worry would not vanish, and she knew it would not until she knew for certain her brother was safe.

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Oh. Em. Gee. Chapter three! Review if you like - comments, criticism, etc. I'd really appreciate it. Thank ya and keep on reading!


	4. Geldhungriger Mann

If you're with me thus far, I really, really thank you for reading this. I know that these are very short chapters - but, it's something, right? I'll attempt to make them longer once I start on chapter 6. But for now, this is all.

As usual, **BOLD** is the sin side, _ITALIC_ is the virtue, and NORMAL is the host.

AND THE DISCLAIMER REMAINS THE SAME: I OWN NOTHING OF YU-GI-OH!

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**CHAPTER FOUR - GELDHUNGRIGER MANN; MONEY HUNGRY MAN.**

"Thank you, have a nice night," a short, brunette-haired shopping clerk said from behind the register, as Tristan nodded and smiled a little.

"You too," he said as he walked out of the store, a can of soda in one hand and a bag of candy in the other. He was out on the streets tonight, considering he'd locked himself out of his own house and as it usually was, his parents weren't home. Normally, he'd just go stay with Joey, but someone had told him something that made him do otherwise. It was Yugi's alter ego, as he thought of him, the spirit from the Millennium Puzzle. The spirit wanted him to call it Yami, and Tristan chuckled to himself, thinking about it.

_Like the yogurt. Yami Yogurt._

All he could think about was food, it seemed, but that didn't bother him. Tonight he wasn't that hungry, anyway, since he had to be alert in case anything happened. Yami had warned him to be wary of an attack by some group of sinners, or something. Tristan shrugged, and made a note to himself to listen better when spirits were talking. He yawned and took a drink of his soda as he walked down the street. It was empty, and a lot of the streetlights flickered. A couple of them burnt out as he walked past but he wasn't surprised. He wasn't in one of the best neighborhoods in town, but it was a shortcut back to his own house. He just wanted to be in familiar territory in case anything Yami had warned him of did happen.

Tristan emptied the contents of the bag of candy and the soda can, and tossed them aside. The can clinked along the ground and stopped a few feet away. Tristan kept walking, but a couple seconds later the can clinked back to land in his path. He stopped, fully alert, and glanced around. There wasn't much light here, and he strained in the dark to see what or who was there.

"Hello? Anyone out there?" he called cautiously, rolling up his sleeves just to be ready. A rustling to his right caught his attention and he turned, but it was a mistake he'd soon pay the price for.

"Time to die," a burly voice growled from behind him, and a large, bear-like man landed a kick to the back of Tristan's head which sent him flying. He landed with a sickening thud quite a ways away, sliding face down. His palms, outstretched to brace himself, were now cut and scraped beyond recognition, and blood was already pooling around his face from his nose, which had hit the ground rather hard.

The large man, who wore what resembled assassins' clothing, for it was all black and tightly fitting to make movement easy and noise minimal, laughed and spat a wad of mucous at the ground next to where Tristan lay, groaning in pain.

"Get up, puny animal," he grumbled, and Tristan rolled over slowly. The man kicked him in the side, and Tristan yelped. "What's the matter, did that hurt?" the man laughed, getting pure pleasure from Tristan's pain. His large, round face had deep-set features, his eyes were a dark shade of blue, and a dark scar ran along his left cheekbone and down his jaw. Every vein in his face was visible, and his skin was puffed and fattened yet toughened, weathered and worn despite the fact he didn't look much past the age of thirty, or the fact that he was a bit of a porker.

"You'll have to…try harder than that, tough guy," Tristan mumbled as he rolled out of the way of another kick, and jumped to his feet. He attempted to land a punch to the guy's scarred jaw, but the man just seized his wrist and twisted. Tristan kicked the man in the gut and, for good measure, punched him hard with his other hand. The giant fumbled, letting Tristan go, and wheezed in pain for a split second. That was just enough time for Tristan to take off in a sprint down the street, back in the direction of town.

_"If I'm right, then this guy is the greedy one. Yami told me he'd like shiny things. So I guess he's like a big, mean cat."_

The man was on Tristan's tail immediately, but he wasn't fazed. The guy was pretty obese, after all, and Tristan was confident in his speed, and kept up his long strides and quick pace until they'd passed by the same store he had left earlier. The streets were brighter here, and a glint of light reflected off a jewelry store's window like a lighthouse beacon. Tristan smirked and headed towards it, the man a little ways behind him. He came to a stop right in front of the window, and leaned against it. The man was immediately mesmerized by the glittering, glinting jewelry before him.

"So, it seems my friend was right, huh, big guy? You have an expensive taste." Tristan chuckled, and the man growled but did not move.

"My greed…will be my downfall…" he whimpered, quite pathetically for a man his size.

"**But it is right there, for the taking! Shatter the window and take it, you fool!**" a darker, deeper voice sounded from the man, and Tristan blinked in surprise.

"No! I will not! I must not!" the man cried, eyes full of anguish, but glinting with greed.

"**You will. Don't make me force you, William. You know Temperantia cannot control our greed. You know we are unstoppable when we want something.**" The man grinned, and nodded, looking completely insane. A deafening roar erupted from him, and Tristan covered his ears. The man leapt through the shop window, panting hungrily, and it seemed he slowed down once he'd gone through the glass as all the alarms set off. He looked around and as he began grabbing at everything, his movements were no longer as skillful and deft as they had been, but more clumsy, as he tried to get his oily, sausage-sized fingers on everything.

"_Stop! AT ONCE! William, don't do it! Just leave, now!_" a lighter voice cried from him, and he shook his head, refusing it.

"_Ira must be stopped, stranger! Heed my warning, if this is not a sign enough for you what he can do, you do not want to see his full power unleashed!_" the voice pleaded at Tristan.

"What?" Tristan blinked stupidly, dumbfounded. Yami had warned him to expect this guy, but he hadn't warned him to expect a three-ring-circus.

"_Destroy Ira! Or the world will never be safe!_" it cried, and the large man then seized up in the middle of his exploits, a spluttering sound coming from his mouth as he clutched at his chest. He let out a great gasp and his eyes seemed almost certain to pop out of his head, and then he abruptly fell to the ground, dead before he even hit the floor.

"Fast food does that, I guess," Tristan shrugged, picking up a piece of the broken window glass. He examined it, then walked away casually, throwing it back over his shoulder as the whine of sirens chased the flickering streetlights to the jewelry store.

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Next chapter shortly - it will be the last one that's been pre-written. From there on you'll have a wait between chapters...however, until then, please review!


	5. Schatten Des Lichtes

WARNING: Mild yaoi! Bakura/Ryou. Bless their little hearts. MOVING ON.

This is the last pre-written chapter. I don't know why I'm uploading like this, haha, but I suppose its because I realize how short the chapters are on the site, as opposed to in Word. So this is to give those finding this story more to read at first, until I write more. Which I will do, asap. Until then please enjoy!

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER:** BOLD** text is the sin side, _ITALIC_ is the virtue, and NORMAL is the host.

DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH! NEVER HAVE NEVER WILL.

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**CHAPTER FIVE - SCHATTEN DES LICHTES; SHADOW OF THE LIGHT.**

"Bakura, please don't," the young, platinum-haired boy pleaded, his large brown eyes filling with tears as he pleaded with his dark side, who was standing before him, his palm raised to strike at Ryou once again.

"What was that, little light?" Bakura sneered, teasing the weaker boy. "Are you begging for me to stop? You know that just means I'll do it more!" he cackled, and Ryou whimpered, crouching into the corner he'd been backed into.

"Oh, please, don't hurt me again…I'll do as you say, I promise," he whispered, casting his eyes full of hurt downward.

"You say that every time," the menacing spirit growled, "and not once have you kept your promise. But, I know you get that from me," he laughed, "because as you know, I don't keep my promises either. They mean nothing to me."

"But Bakura…you used to have a heart, don't you remember? Long ago, I thought you cared for me…why are you doing this again? Can't you remember how you cared? It was why I loved you…why I still love you…" Ryou said softly, his voice full of despair as he trailed his hand down the other's bare chest lightly, causing Bakura to shiver. It was barely noticeable, but Ryou detected it. Bakura slapped Ryou's hand away, and raised his hand once more to bring it down upon the other's cheek, but he was stopped before he completed his motion. Outside, both boys heard a noise, and Ryou distinctly detected the sound of the lock clicking.

"Oh, Bakura, shadow games," Ryou muttered, and Bakura nodded.

"Thank god for our safe word," the spirit whispered, and scooped the fragile boy into his arms, depositing him onto the bed. "Stay here and I'll see what's going on," he said softly, the icy tone that was just in his voice a moment ago gone as he spoke to his lighter half. Ryou just nodded, curling up on the bed. A million thoughts went through his head, but the one that bothered him most was what his other half had told him earlier, before they'd gotten deep into their "game". He'd said the pharaoh had given him some warning about someone who might try to kill them today, and although Bakura had taken it lightly at first because of his distrust for Yami, Ryou had convinced him to believe it. He knew the spirit from Yugi's puzzle would never lie to them, and the way Bakura had described how he'd spoken to him, Ryou knew something was going to happen.

"Oh, I can't take this suspense anymore," Ryou said to himself, and got up, padding quietly to the doorway where he could peer down the hall to the front door easily without being seen. The sight that now lay before him almost made him sick to his stomach.

"Bakura!" Ryou's eyes were wide, and he ran to where his shadow lover lay, bruised and bloody. He didn't notice the dark skinned woman standing in the shadows just outside the front door as he knelt down beside his beloved. "What happened? Are you alright?" His palm rested on the other's arm lightly, and Bakura opened his eyes slowly as he felt Ryou's touch.

"It's her, Yami was right…" he said softly. "I'll be fine, Ryou." He sat up then, slowly but still too quick for Ryou's liking.

"Oh Bakura, be careful. Don't hurt yourself mo— " Ryou was cut short as a gunshot echoed through the silence. Bakura yelped in surprise and Ryou screamed in pain, and caught him as he fell to the side, overwhelmed by the pain as he clutched his arm where he'd been hit.

"You…bitch," Bakura spat, laying Ryou down gently as he stood up, ignoring the pain and lunging for the darkness outside the door. He tackled the woman to the ground, knocking the gun far from her reach.

"You're no match for me, albino boy," she growled in a deep southern drawl, her voice conveying the fire in her azure blue eyes. Her black hair whipped about her head like a snake as she retaliated, sending Bakura flying into the nearest wall. He groaned in pain, and pulled himself right back up again. Time seemed to stand still as they faced each other, ready to strike again, and shadows danced over them both in the dim light cast from the streetlights down the sidewalk. She took one step towards Bakura, and he prepared to strike but was halted at the sound of Ryou's voice.

"No, don't do this. Fighting is not the answer," he called out as loud as he could, his voice still sounding weak. The woman had, unnoticed by either boy, collapsed with her head in her hands, and was whimpering to herself. Bakura strained and could catch bits of what she was saying.

"This is wrong…I am not…there must be a way…get out of this…break…spell…" she sounded almost like a radio transmission broken up by static, and he shook his head.

"What is the meaning of all of this?" the spirit grumbled, rather irritated by this bizarre happening and the injury of his light. The woman looked up, and her eyes now held more fear than even Ryou's. Bakura shook his head and sighed, completely confused.

"_I must speak quickly, for I may lose her at any second. Bakura, Ryou, I am Liberalitas. I am speaking through Maria, but I cannot hold Avaritia off much longer. You must help me break Avaritia's hold and free Maria, or your lives will be in further danger. I will hold Avaritia back as long as possible, but it is up to you to free Maria. Please hurry._" Maria whimpered again, and her eyes closed slowly, tears leaking out of them.

"W-what's…what's going on…?" Ryou whispered, now sitting in the doorway, clutching his injured arm.

"Ryou…I am sorry…" Maria mumbled, true remorse reflected in her face. "Let me help you as much as I can…I haven't a whole lot of time before Avaritia comes back. At least let me show you I am truly sorry for what I did." She stood, and held out her hand to Ryou. Bakura scowled, distrusting, but all the same he allowed her to do this. Ryou took her hand and slowly, he stood. She led him back inside and immediately found the first aid kit. Within a matter of minutes, she had cleaned and bandaged the gunshot wound.

"Thank you, Maria," Ryou whispered, managing a smile. Inside, Bakura smiled, amazed at how that fragile little boy could be happy even in a situation like this. Maria returned the smile and nodded.

"It was the least I could do." She turned and headed for the door.

"Wait, where are you going? We can help you, Maria," Bakura called hesitantly. She shook her head, pausing but not looking back.

"I know how to solve this problem. I know what needs to be done, but thank you for offering anyway. I hope you get better, Ryou, and I'm sorry for disturbing your lives. I must destroy myself, so Ira can no longer control me. That way, he won't be able to make me destroy any more lives. Farewell," she said, and ran out into the darkness. Bakura ran after her but he was too late.

"Maria! Wait! We can help you, don't do this! At least explain what this is all about!" he shouted to the shadows. The only reply was the echo of his own voice, and he sighed, walking back inside. Ryou shut and locked the door behind him, then wrapped his arms around his dark half.

"Its alright, Bakura. We can talk to Yami tomorrow. Maybe he'll explain more. Let's just rest now," Ryou whispered into his ear. Bakura nodded, still skeptical, but he decided to listen to his light. It had never hurt him before, and he knew it wouldn't hurt to get a little rest this time either. Somehow, Bakura figured, they were both going to need it for tomorrow.


End file.
